How art transformed Fish Creek

Fish Creek artist Kerry Spokes tells the story of how art transformed a sleepy small South Gippsland town from a town of farming and football to a town of boutique cafes, galleries and a thriving artistic community.

Over the past year, as I have been noting frequently in this blogs, there has been an explosion of `pop up' creative ventures across Gippsland, that seems to have been inspired by Marcus Westbury's Renew Australia movement and Regional Arts Victoria's Small Town Transformations initiative. The whole point of this artistic community lead movement, is to breathe life into small regional towns with public art, cafes, galleries, rail trails, open studios, events, festivals, markets and any other culture making ideas that can bring ambiance and atmosphere to a region.

After a few decades of extreme public liability insurance, council red tape, high rents and cost measures providing just about anyone trying to get anything off the ground with enough disincentives to give up, it seems we are entering a new era of `enthusiasm' towards cultural activities in Australia. It is as if somebody has finally joined the dots on culture (not just industry) as being crucial to the economy of a town, bringing in tourists, increasing property values, helping local producers, providing jobs and creating the 'location, location, location'.

Interestingly, much of this `reactivation' of towns is being lead by the sea change, tree change movement and one such town that is a great example of this reactivation is Fish Creek.

Located near the most southerly tip of Victoria on route to Wilson's Prom, Fish Creek has developed from a town of dairy farmers, footballers and pub parmigianas to a boutique destination town of galleries and cafes. The town was cultivated in the mid 1990s by a combination of sea changers and tree changers, many of whom grew up in the region. They left to travel the world and experience city life, then return to their home towns as worldy adults.

Fish Creek artist Kerry Spokes is typical of this movement of people who have returned to their town of origin after a long hiatus elsewhere and set up a creative business. Her boutique gallery The Gecko Gallery which doubles as art suppliers, sits in the main street of the town amongst the fellow artfully animated shop fronts of The Flying Cow, 9 Acres and Ride the Wild Goat.

Fish Creek has now become a notable tourist destination for Melbourne weekend wanderers and Prom Coast explorers, who stop off for coffee and promenade the shops of main street. The iconic Fish Creek pub has even been undergoing renovations in recent times in anticipation of growing interest in the town's novelty. There are also a number of activities and events around the area which borders Foster, Sandy Point and some of the most spectacular scenery in Victoria.

As the population continues to grow around the South Gippsland shire, Fish Creek is a shining example of a how the ambiance of a town can be transformed through art.

3
Comments

Kathy Whelan

There are so many gorgeous places across South Gippsland, such as Fish Creek, Foster, Toora, Meeniyan, Mirboo North, and more. The whole district is full of artists of every description, wonderful cafes and galleries, delightful parks, beaches, hills and farmland, wineries, historical parks, and so much more than "just the Prom". We are also host to the highest single span falls in Victoria, located just north of Toora and Welshpool, and close to the iconic Long Jetty at Port Welshpool. The Agnes Falls plunge 59 metres down into a gorge, has a delightful bushland picnic area, and two viewing platforms. You can get a sneak peak of the falls at facebook.com/FriendsOfAgnesFalls

Clive Murray-White

Great to hear Kerry and great to see Fish Creek prospering through her efforts and others
But.....................I'm sorry to have to say Rachel it has absolutely nothing to do with Regional.Arts Victoria, these things happen despite government.

Michael Desimone

I now hail from Kerang! With out its leave bank the town I live in would be a waist land.
The skys here are an wild.
In my home near Tallygaroopna the views of 8 klms of open space before the horizon made me look at thing most would not, looking at it for decades showed me science in a rural environment that most would neglect as hicks vill.
But having done maths for a very different group of customers a childhood in the country via observation has given me back in spades, art and other wise.
My friend at uni came from around our region i hope i have paid him back for his help:)
Thank you Justin!